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The Astronomical Unit
Matthias Müller - Trombone
Clayton Thomas - Doublebass
Christian Marien - Drums, Percussion
"The Astronomical Unit" was formed in 2007, when Clayton Thomas moved from Australia to Berlin. At that point Matthias Müller and Christian Marien had already worked as a duo for several years. The duos density and Thomas' distinctive way of playing was the starting point from which the trio quickly developed an independant contemporary approach to improvised music: "The Astronomical Unit" perform music, that almost sounds composed. They channelize the free musical flow into formal and structural clearness. One can tell that they are conscious of the tradition of American freejazz and European improvisation, but "The Astronomical Unit" keep reinventing themselves and question musical agreements. Their debut CD "Relativity" was released on "Jazzwerkstatt" (Berlin) in march 2010.
Matthias Müller moved from Essen, where he had lived for ten years, to Berlin in 2004. He played together with many outstanding international improvisers such as Peter Evans, Frank Gratkowski, Johannes Bauer, Matthias Schubert, Michael Zerang, Gebhard Ullmann, Jack Wright, Nate Wooley, Olaf Rupp, Christian Weber, Clayton Thomas, Wilbert de Joode, and Rudi Mahall, and he was a member of the “Deutsch-französisches Jazzensemble”, conducted by Albert Mangelsdorff, for many years. His CD “Bhavan”, released on “Jazzhausmusik” in 2004, was produced by musician and journalist John Corbett from Chicago. He played concerts in Africa, Asia, North- and Southamerica, and many European countries.
Clayton Thomas is a bassist who has dedicated himself wholly to the pursuit of improvisation, studying with master bassists Wilber Morris and Henry Grimes in New York and Peter Kowald in Germany. He has performed around the U.S., Europe, Australia and New Zealand with three generations of improvisers - including Alexander von Schlippenbach, Axel Dorner, Johannes Bauer, Sonny Simmons, Marilyn Crispell, Jon Rose, Jim Denley, Newton Armstrong, Tim O'Dwyer, Sabir Mateen, Daniel Carter, Mike Pride, Mary Halvorson, Tony Buck and Makigami Koichi amongst many others. His use of extended techniques and extreme physicality give his music unexpected dimension. He is also an active grass roots organiser, founding the „now now festival“ of improvised music and the regular concert series - "if you like improvised music, we like you" as well as the 30 piece electro-acoustic ensemble „The splinter orchestra“. Clayton moved from Sydney to Berlin in 2007.
Christian Marien lives in Berlin since 2000, studied drums in Amsterdam and Berlin. As a member of numerous ensembles such as The Astronomical Unit, Stereolisa, Computerband he is playing concerts in Europe and America and releasing CDs on labels like “Leo-records” or “Jazzwerkstatt”. Recently he concentrates on developing his soloplaying ("sieben mal solo" released on Schraum, 2007) and an intense collaboration with the perfoming artists “Ritsche&Zast”, exploring the intersection of music and urban calligraphy. Considering his drumming as an (inter)artistic language, he is not only collaborating with many improvising musicians but also with artists such as Thomas Bratzke or dancers such as Hans-Werner Klohe or Kadir “Amigo” Memis.
sounds:
from “Relativity”:
concerts:
25.06.2010 Berlin, 48h Neukölln
30.04.2010 AUT-Ulrichsberg, Kaleidophon-Festival
29.04.2010 Schorndorf, Manufaktur
28.04.2010 Berlin, Sowieso
13.03.2010 Berlin, Jazzwerkstatt Shop
24.05.2009 Berlin, Aufsturz, feat. Peter Evans, tp
23.05.2009 Ludwigsburg, Max.Experimentell
21.05.2009 Karlsruhe, KOHI-Kulturraum e.V.
20.05.2009 CH-Altbüron, Schaerholzbau
19.05.2009 CH-Zurich, WIM
04.02.2009 Frankfurt, Theaterhaus
03.12.2008 Berlin, Theaterkapelle
16.11.2008 Köln, Loft
15.11.2008 Essen, Folkwang Hochschule, Novembermusic Festival
02.03.2008 Berlin, Rebirth @ Lovelite
21.10.2007 Berlin, Miss Hecker
05.10.2007 Berlin, Hinterzimmer
